Soft, absorbent sheets having high absorbency and high caliper, and methods of making soft, absorbent sheets

Abstract

Paper products, such as hand towels, have high absorbency, high caliper, and good perceived softness. Two-ply products have a caliper of at least about 260 mils / 8 sheets and an SAT capacity of at least about 650 g / m2. The paper products are made using a structuring fabric that has a high planar volumetric index, which indicates a relation between the contact area ratio of a papermaking web contacting surface of the structuring fabric and the volume of pockets of the fabric.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This non-provisional application is based upon U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 904,177, filed on Nov. 14, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]Our invention relates to paper products such as absorbent hand towels. Our invention also relates to processes of manufacturing paper products such as absorbent hand towels.[0004]2. Related Art[0005]It is desirable for many types of paper products to have diverse properties. For example, absorbent paper products must be able to mop up large amounts of liquid before becoming saturated. As another example, customers greatly prefer that absorbent paper products feel soft to the touch. Absorbency and softness, however, are contradictory properties when it comes to manufacturing paper products. Most techniques for increasing the absorbency of paper products will also have the effect of decreasing the perceived softness o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides an absorbent cellulosic sheet that has a caliper of at least about 255 mils / 8 sheets and an SAT capacity of at least about 650 g / m2. The sheet includes a first ply and a second ply directly attached to the first ply, with the second ply being about 75% of the thickness of the sheet. The sheet has a tensile ratio of less than about 1.0 and a planar volumetric index of at least about 26. The invention also provides a method of making a paper product using a structuring fabric and a through air drying process. The portion of the structuring fabric on which the cellulosic web is formed has a contact area of at least about 62,500 cm3 and a planar volumetric index of at least about 26.

Problems solved by technology

Absorbency and softness, however, are contradictory properties when it comes to manufacturing paper products.

Wet and dry strength resins, however, also have the undesirable effect of reducing the perceived softness of the resulting products.

Another challenge in manufacturing paper products is that paper making is a relatively low margin industry, and, thus, there is a constant need to find more economically efficient products and processing.

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